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K.I.T.T. (Popular Mechanics Specs)
This entry concerns the Popular Mechanics article that claimed to have a list of K.I.T.T. (3000)'s features, and compared them to those of his predecessor, K.I.T.T. (2000) History Published on the Popular Mechanics website on December 20, 2007, the article was meant as a way to generate excitement over the new Knight Rider series. As part of that, the specifications of the Three Thousand were revealed for the first time, alongside the specs of the original Knight Industries Two Thousand. It's unknown exactly how canon this list is considered, because some items on the list are open to interpretation. The original K.I.T.T. had several functions that later became real-world technology, yet the author seems to be biased against acknowledging this, in favor of making the Three Thousand look more functional. The Specs for the Knight Industries Three Thousand * 1000-Watt Quadraphonic Stereo System * 24-Hour Roadside Assistance * 360-Degree Video Surveillance * 3D Heads-Up Display * Anamorphic Equalizer - KITT's external front scan bars. * Aquatic Synthesizer * Auto Collision Avoidance * Autopilot * Audio/Video In-Dash Functions * Biometric Analysis * Computer AI * Blood Analyzer * DNA Analysis Equipment * Electromagnetic Field Generator * Electronic Field Disrupter * Electronic Jamming System - This allows KITT to manipulate other electronic devices, and occasional non-electronic ones. * Etymotic Equalizer - This system allows KITT to hear sound. An array of audio sensors were threaded throughout his interior and exterior. * FBI database access * Graphic Translator * Heated Seats * High-speed Internet * Holographic Projection * Infrared Tracking Scope - KITT can monitor the position of specific vehicles in the area within 20 miles. * In-Seat Medical Diagnosis * Interior Oxygenator - KITT could release oxygen into his driver compartment and provide air to passengers if he was ever submerged in water or buried in earth. This is also used to overcome the effects of certain drugs. * Keyless Entry and Ignition * Laser-Guided Missile Defense * Laser Weapons System * Mass Spectrometer * Metallic paint with nanotech enhanced camouflage * Microscanners - Microscanners are tiny audio and visual sensors embedded into the grooves of KITT's body. They allow for visual tracking and display of anything around the car. * Microwave Ignition Sensor * Microwave Jammer * Military-Grade GPS * Military satellite access * Mini-KITT Reconnaissance Drone * Nanotech Cloaking * Olfactory Sensor - KITT can "smell" via an atmospheric sampling device mounted in his front bumper. * Personal Safety System * Power System * Pyroclastic Lamination - KITT is protected by a thermal-resistant coating that can withstand sustained temperatures of up to 800 degrees Fahrenheit. * Radar * Rocket Boosters * Self-regeneration and damage repair * Smokescreen * Sonar * Spectrograph * Sports-tuned suspension * Targeted Electromagnetic Pulse * Ultramagnesium Charges - KITT can launch magnesium flares, which can also be used to divert heat-seeking missiles fired at him. * Ultraphonic Chemical Analyzer - KITT has an anelectron scanner that can analyze the chemical properties of various materials. It could even scan fingerprints and read ballistic information off bullets and compare these with a police database. Aside from the scanning tray, the system could also analyze chemical information gathered from KITT's exterior sensors. * Voice-activated GPS system * Voice Analyzer * Voice Synthesizer - KITT's Voice Synthesizer allows his logic module to speak and communicate through his Voice Modulator. * X-Ray * Xenon headlamps with infrared night-vision Breaking it Down Out of all the items on the list, it identifies seventeen as belonging only to the Three Thousand: # Radar # Sonar # Audio/Visual In-Dash Functions # DNA Analysis Equipment # Targeted Electromagnetic Pulse # Military-Grade GPS # 3D Heads-Up Display # Laser Weapons System # Holographic Projection # Keyless Entry and Ignition # Personal Safety System # Nanotech Cloaking # 360-Degree Video Surveillance # Laser-Guided Missile Defense # Mini-KITT Reconnaissance Drone # In-Seat Medical Diagnosis # Biometric Analysis Of these seventeen, some are obvious, because they depend on technology that wasn't even in science-fiction at the time of the original series. However, at least five are open to interpretation, because the Two Thousand possessed a similar feature to its '08 counterpart. *Audio/Visual In-Dash Functions: This is one of two that doesn’t make any sense in favoring the Three Thousand. For its entire run, at least one TV screen was built into the Two Thousand’s dashboard; its most famous use being a real-time communications link. *Laser Weapons System: The original K.I.T.T. had no built-in armament, however in “Trust Doesn’t Rust”, Bonnie did build a “Laser Power Pack” that could be installed in him. It was only used on two separate occasions, once against K.A.R.R. and once against Goliath. It was later stolen by K.A.R.R. *Keyless Entry and Ignition: The original Knight Industries Two Thousand was never shown to need keys of any kind, relying instead on some kind of sensor in the door handle. This was used as a gag on one occasion when a would be carjacker tried repeatedly to force K.I.T.T.’s door open, only for Michael Knight to walk up and jump in without any apparent effort at all. *Personal Safety System: This one is so vague as to be meaningless. *360-Degree Video Surveillance: There is no record of the Two Thousand having a visual blind spot, and he seemed perfectly aware of any event occurring around him. K.I.T.T.’s only weakness was that he couldn’t scan anything lined with lead. *In-Seat Medical Diagnosis: The original K.I.T.T. was perfectly capable of scanning the vital stats of anyone in his passenger cabin, including heart-rate, breathing, temperature, and brain-wave activity. This was critical, in the last episode of the original series, when Michael was fitted with a mind-control chip, against his will. Category:Knight Rider (1982 TV series)